201315 Hull projections can damage fenders

A cargo ship of a novel design called at our terminal recently on her maiden voyage. She had all her deck cranes fitted along the ship’s port side and the pedestals extended beyond the shell plating like vertical sponson or blister tanks. As such hull protuberances can potentially damage the fenders on the berth, it is important that vessels provide this information well before the ship’s arrival. Indeed, the Master of the vessel did admit that a port had filed a claim for fender damage against another sister ship. Accordingly, it may be prudent for shipowners, naval architects and shipbuilders to avoid designs that involve projections beyond the side shell of vessels.